Work Text:
Armitage eyed the clock, willing the hands to tick faster. Alas, he was no governor over time. When he realized a deep silence had fallen over the classroom, his attention was recaptured.
Professor Batch stood still at the front of the lecture hall, waiting expectantly. The grizzled man’s gaze swept through the room like a predator’s in search of prey. Armitage sucked in a breath when he thought the professor’s eyes had landed on him.
“Rey! What is your answer for question 42?” he barked out.
Armitage released his breath in relief. He glanced sideways at the person sitting next to him.
Rey perked up. She appeared to be caught off-guard at being called upon. “Uh, just 42?” she asked.
Professor Batch gave her a patient nod, Armitage took the time to glance down at his homework in confusion. While he searched the page for the question and answer, he felt a familiar presence over his shoulder. He located the question and realization dawned on him.
“The First Law of Thermodynamics is that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only altered,” Rey recited, confusion still tinging her tone.
Professor Batch nodded at her and returned to addressing the whole class, “After reviewing your answers from the last homework assignment, I believe you should review this Law. I saw many answers where energy seemed to be created out of nothing. Don’t forget the basics.” He held the class with a ruthless silence. Some of the students looked guilty or flat out avoided looking at the Professor. Armitage was surprised at just how many of them seemed to be quietly admitting their oversight. “I expect that this problem will not persist. Class dismissed.”
The room erupted into the sound of papers being hastily shoved into bags as the students competed with one another to be the first to flee the room. Armitage took his time and glanced over at Rey, who appeared disappointed.
“Didn’t even ask me a hard one,” she muttered.
Armitage thought that to be strange as well, but chose not to vocalize it. Instead, he turned to face Kylo, who appeared to be fascinated with what had transpired in the last five minutes of class. “What was all that about?” they asked. Armitage gave them a look as if to say “not now”. Kylo backed off and allowed him to neatly pack his bag and exit the room before prodding again, “Well?”
Armitage sighed, the burden of explaining every nuance of social exchange was starting to weigh on him. “Batch knew Rey had the right answer, she always does. He was just using her to prove a point to the rest of class.” Realizing something in the moment, he added, “Which, unfortunately, also makes her a target.”
“A target?” Kylo echoed.
“Well, not in the sense that she’s in any real danger. The other students may just become jealous. We don’t really resort to physical or spoken retaliation at this age, but you never know.” Armitage watched some disgruntled classmates pass by before continuing, “There’s a group project coming up, sabotage may be a possibility.”
Kylo snorted, “I would have expected her to do the sabotaging.”
Armitage peered at them in doubt. “That goody two-shoes?” he asked.
“That goody two-shoes,” Kylo agreed, their face splitting momentarily into a fond almost-smile and a furious snarl.
“You know her,” Armitage stated.
“I’ve met a few of her cores,” Kylo admitted.
Armitage rolled his eyes. “Well? What are they like?” he asked.
Kylo lowered themself onto a step leading up to the lecture hall and looked out over the quad, wistfully. “For starters, she’s an embodiment of light, that’s why she’s like that.” Kylo waited for Armitage to join them before continuing, “Even when she does bad things, they’re for good reasons. And those actions never overshadow her pure intentions.” Kylo takes a moment before adding, “She has been consumed by darkness before, but it never lasted long enough to threaten her, or her connections. She fought it the moment it took hold.” Kylo dropped their gaze to their hands. “I envy that. When I’m consumed by darkness, I welcome it.” They clenched their hands into fists. “A small part of me resists, because I don't have the capacity for true darkness, but it’s never enough. I end up hurting a lot of my connections, usually.”
Armitage watched the scar he saw when he first met Kylo slash through their face as they explained their understanding of Rey. “Do you have a connection with her? An antagonistic one? A romantic one?” He asked.
Oddly enough, Kylo laughed. “My cores are drawn to her, like a moth to flame, but the reason isn’t that simple.” They gave him a warm smile, and Armitage watched wounds other than the long scar over Kylo’s eye and cheek appear on their face. It became a volcanic surface, shifting through different eras like the tectonic plates. “I am drawn to her because she embodies what I truly want. The want I cannot have.”
“The desire to be good?” Armitage asked.
“Something like that. I wouldn’t put it in such simple terms.” Kylo laughed like the chime of bells. Their face returned to the untouched, blank-slate Armitage was used to. They almost looked cherub-like in the evening light. Soft, brown eyes rose, unafraid to meet his own.
“Why are you drawn to me?” Armitage asked.
Kylo’s face simultaneously paled in shock and heated in embarrassment. There was a distant stormy effect brewing in their gaze. Armitage braced himself for the worst.
Kylo suddenly jumped to their feet and started walking down the steps. Before Armitage could call out to them, they stopped in place between two steps. Armitage decided not to say anything while Kylo hesitated. He was rewarded for his patience when Kylo eventually turned around and climbed the steps toward him. Despite being steps below Armitage, they towered above him. “Armitage, in every universe, you are my order.”